Cloma declared the establishment of the Free Territory of Freedomland, on May 31, 1956, after he made representation to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, informing the latter about the territory.

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<img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources/tomas-cloma.webp" alt="Tomas Arbolente Cloma" />
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(Tomas Cloma)
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As the islands were not in any standard maps then, Cloma on July 6, 1956, "declared to the whole world" his claim and the establishment of a separate government for the "Free Territory of Freedomland" made up of most of the island group, with its capital on Flat Island (Patag Island). His declaration was met with violent and unfriendly reactions from several neighboring countries especially the Republic of China (Taiwan) when on September 24, 1956, it effectively garrisoned the nearby island of Itu Aba and intercepted Cloma's men and vessels found within its immediate waters. 


In 1974, Cloma, who wrote for the Manila Bulletin's shipping section, was thrown into a Camp Crame prison cell, on grounds of "usurpation of authority" – his drinking buddies at the National Press Club called him "Admiral". He was released several months later when he turned over all claims to the islands under a "Deed of Assignment and Waiver of Rights" to the Philippine government – for one peso. 


Right after President Marcos got Cloma's "deed of assignment", the Armed Forces of the Philippines under Defense Secretary Enrile quickly and covertly transformed the group's biggest but uninhabited island into a fortification and named it "Pag-Asa Island". A heavily armed battalion of Marines was stationed there, and a 1.3 km- runway was constructed, making it easily accessible from Manila. Marcos even had it populated with over 200 civilians. It was the first and the last time our country added a new area to our territory beyond what the Spanish turned over to the US when they left in 1898.


Marcos, on June 11, 1978, basing his claim on Cloma's discovery of the islands, formally annexed the group of islands and made it a municipality of Palawan through Presidential Decree No. 1596, named "Kalayaan" under the custody of the Department of National Defense. 


Today, the entire Spratly Archipelago is being claimed by the People's Republic of China (PRC). The Philippines claims the western section of the Spratlys, which is nearest to Palawan. Malaysia occupies five reefs. Brunei claims only a reef in the southern part of the Spratlys which is still underwater. Vietman and Taiwan also claim some of the islands.


Tomas Cloma y Arbolente, an adventurer and fishing magnate, was born on September 18, 1904 in Panglao, Bohol to Ciriaco Cloma, a Spanish settler, and Irena Arbolente, a native of Bohol.

 

Source: 
<ol class="article-sources">
<li>
History of the Munipacity of Kalayaan <a href="http://www.kalayaanpalawan.gov.ph/about_the_municipality/historical_background.html" class="news_link" taget="_blank" title="Kalayaan">http://www.kalayaanpalawan.gov.ph</a>
</li>
<li>
Tomas Cloma - the man who "discovered" the Spratly Islands (http://goo.gl/UePIv3)
(<a href="http://goo.gl/UePIv3" target="_blank" class="news_link" title="Source">http://goo.gl/UePIv3</a>)
</li>
<li>
The Spratlys: Marcos’ legacy, or curse? (<a href="http://goo.gl/uJ6s3Q" target="_blank" class="news_link" title="Source">http://goo.gl/uJ6s3Q</a>)
</li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.gov.ph/1978/06/11/presidential-decree-no-1596-s-1978/" class="news_link" target="_blank" title="PD">Presidential Decree No. 1596, s. 1978</a>
</li>
<li>
Photo credit: Tomas Cloma - the man who "discovered" the Spratly Islands
</li>
</ol>

May 11, 1956: Tomas Cloma took possession of the Kalayaan group of islands